Gov. Jerry Brown cautioned lawmakers that even though there is a budget surplus, they should not overspend as he delivers his annual State of the State speech before a joint session of the Legislature at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. Brown delivered a dual message in his annual address to the Legislature, that a California resurgence is well underway but is threatened by economic and environmental uncertainties.

State Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, said Gov. Jerry Brown did a good job of presenting the big picture in his State of the State speech.

Julio Perez, executive director of the Orange County Labor Federation, is disappointed Brown didn't announce he was backing away from consideration of ending overtime pay for in-home health care workers.

Vicki Soderberg, president of Capistrano Unified Education Association, is pleased with the governor's inclusion of local voices in school funding decision-making.

Lucy Dunn, president of the Orange County Business Council, praised Gov. Brown's emphasis on education, health care and infrastructure.

Tim Jamison, president of the Irvine Teachers Association, is supportive of Gov. Jerry Brown's efforts to increase school funding, but noted that Irvine Unified struggles with per-pupil funding.

Assemblyman Don Wagner, R-Irvine, said Gov. Jerry Brown hit the right notes with his acknowledgment of the fleeting nature of the surplus, but he's skeptical that Democratic majorities in the Legislature share Brown's vision of fiscal restraint.

California Gov. Jerry Brown before his State of the State address in the Assembly Chamber at the state Capitol in Sacramento.

One side of a card California Gov. Jerry Brown carries to remind him that after budget surpluses in the state there have been huge deficits, during his State of the State address in the Assembly Chamber at the state Capitol in Sacramento.

O.C. Superintendent of Schools Al Mijares agreed with Gov. Jerry Brown's focus on local control of education.

Here are some thoughts of business, labor, education, academic and elected officials about Gov. Jerry Brown’s State of the State speech:

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Lucy Dunn, president of the Orange County Business Council, praised Brown’s emphasis on education, health care and infrastructure.

“Clearly, the issues he raise are the issues important to the state and OCBC supports him in those efforts,” she said. “And it was good to hear him mention Orange County in terms of biotechnology.”

Dunn also praised Brown’s moderate, practical approach. “Sometimes, he comes across looking like the adult in the room.”

   Julio Perez, executive director of the Orange County Labor Federation, said he was disappointed Brown didn’t announce he was backing away from consideration of ending overtime pay for in-home health care workers. Perez also hoped to hear that some of the surplus would go to child care to enable more people to go to work and to a bigger commitment to infrastructure improvements.

“We’re glad there’s a surplus, but we think it needs to be used to create more jobs,” Perez said. “Orange County always fares better than other places, but there’s still a lot of unemployed here.”

   Vicki Soderberg, president of the Capistrano Unified Education Association, has been pleased with the governor’s inclusion of local voices in school funding decision making. The district is returning to a 180-day school year and is beginning to reduce class sizes due to an increase in funds from the state, she said.

“Teachers in Capistrano commend the governor for bringing forward a funding formula that’s designed to help all children and all students,” Soderberg said. “More importantly, it’s transparent. It’s allowing everyone, every stakeholder – parents, community, teachers, employees – to have a say on how funds are going to be applied towards the learning and the education in our school district and every school district in California.”

“We’ve had years and years of huge cuts and deficits, and finally I think we’ve turned the corner and we’re looking at getting our head above water,” Soderberg said.

   Tim Jamison, president of the Irvine Teacher’s Association, was supportive of the governor’s efforts to increase school funding, but noted that Irvine Unified struggles with per pupil funding. The district receives basic aid from the state, meaning that local property taxes meet or exceed the minimum funding promised by the state.

“Teachers continue to appreciate the efforts the governor is making to increase public school funding and provide communities with local control of the funding for the schools and students in their community,” Jamison said. “We will continue to provide support for students with various needs and backgrounds, and funding is a big part of that.”

“More funding for students who are disadvantaged is great for everybody,” Jamison said. “However, districts like Irvine continue to struggle at the bottom of the funding pool. The Local Control Funding Formula does not provide our district teachers and students with an equitable funding opportunity.”

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 Orange County Superintendent Al Mijares agreed with the governor’s focus on local control.

“What he’s talking about is taking the decisions right to the point of impact, and that’s right in the classroom where teachers are providing direct services to students,” Mijares said. “The notion of local control is appropriate and is the way that education should be run.”

“In this county there’s a driving desire to be independent from any type of external interference that would sidetrack us in the education of our students,” Mijares said. “You have more ownership by parents, more participation, it’s robust. Parents are excited about being involved in the education of their children.”

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  Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, said Brown’s point on fiscal prudence came through loud and clear. She said state officials will need to be tempered as they attempt to restore program funding while setting aside money for the next downturn.

“He did a great job of blending, being optimistic, as far as having a budget surplus but being cautious as far as the boom and bust,” Quirk-Silva said.

   Assemblyman Don Wagner, R-Irvine, said Brown hit the right notes with his acknowledgment of the fleeting nature of the surplus, as well as his thank-you to taxpayers “who have dipped deeper into their pockets and who have funded us out of this deficit.”

But Wagner said he’s skeptical that the Democratic majorities in the Legislature share Brown’s vision of fiscal restraint and of not duplicating at the state level what local governments already are doing well.

“What we would have liked to see in the speech is recognition of the fact that California has the highest personal income tax rates in the nation,” Allen said. “Our state is losing its competitive footing to other states and other countries due to our excessive tax structure.”

   Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, said the governor did a good job of presenting the big picture.

“This is the Jerry I expected,” Correa said. “He’s a governor who was going to come in and fix the problems of the state of California for the long term.”

Martin Wisckol covers coastal environment and development. Previously, he spent two decades as politics reporter and columnist for the Orange County Register. He’s also held reporting positions in Miami, Jacksonville, Detroit and his hometown of San Diego, with an emphasis on land use and urban planning. He is a lifelong surfer and has spent most of his life on the coast. His work has been honored by the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Headliner Awards, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, the Florida Press Club and the American Planning Association Florida Chapter.

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